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Tuesday, 3 June 2014

The Boy From Snowy River

The Boy From Snowy River by Edwina Howard, illustrated by Joe Bond
(Omnibus Books)

PB RRP $12.99

ISBN 978-1-86291-997-6

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

George really wants to go to Big Spills Water World. But there's not
much chance of that when you live in Mumblegum, just out of Dargan's Ridge in
the middle of nowhere. But then Gran hatches a plan. All George has to do is
win the Stockman's Cup at Dargan's Ridge Festival. Can he do it on Bandicoot,
their old stock horse? And can Croak, Bandicoot's closest friend, be convinced
to stay at home?

Soon George is in for the ride of his life, competing against Clancy
(of the Overflow Plumbing Co.), Mr Harrison's runaway goats and the rules of
the competition (he's not quite fourteen yet). It's not looking good for
that trip to Big Spills Water World.

A new book in the Mates series, The Boy From Snowy River
is another Great AustralianYarn, full of Aussie humour, language
and identity. This story is written with tongue-in-cheek, nail-biting tension
and really funny scenes.

The butterflies in my stomach turn to great galumphing caterpillars.

Bright, colourful and fun illustrations accompany the text and are as
much a part of the story as the words. Varying font emphasises some words and this, along with short chapters and large text, make it a perfect story
for junior readers.

This is a tale of a great race. We barrack for the underdog, a ‘stripling’
and his horse, a ‘small weedy beast’. Wecheer their bravery, skill and
drive to go where other stockmen fear to go, and celebrate the spirit of the
classic Australian poem by Banjo Patterson The
Man From Snowy River.